Tales From a New Boat
by KawaiiAngelPirates
Summary: Follow the magnificent Captain Shifter as she gathers her nakama and goes on an adventure! Along the way, they meet the Mugiwara pirates! R&R! Please and thank you! This is a preview for the fanime we are coming out with C:
1. Chapter 1

Justine Shifter was on a mission. After being fired from the marines for literally 'partaking of the forbidden fruit', she saw that her newfound ability could serve her quite well. She remembered one of her nakama from long ago needing her help. She couldn't give it to her at the time: She wasn't strong enough. Now, though, with the ability to copy any devil fruit power she'd seen in action, Shifter was ready to bring down the bane of her nakama's existance.  
Shifter's nakama was a shy girl named Tenshi. Tenshi was seventeen years old, but unable to leave her house. Her parents were killed in front of her by the marines when she was only eight, and it was all her fault. If she hadn't forced her father to train her how to use a sword, she would have never had to move out. Shifter offered to let Tenshi live with her on the streets, but Tenshi was unable to make that decision before her uncle swept her away to live with him.  
Now, eleven years later, Tenshi had been to hell and back. Shifter knew the reason Tenshi's uncle had been so interested in her from the very beginning, and it made her blood boil.  
Blood red eyes flashing, Shifter kicked in the door to the sick man's house.  
"Where are you, you bastard?!" she demanded loudly, her hands already turning to magma.  
The only devil fruit power she'd been exposed to since she ate her own devil fruit was Admiral Akainu's, but it would serve her purpose fine.  
"Shifter-San?" Tenshi greeted confusedly. "What are you doing here?"  
Her right eye, ice blue in colour, was bruised. Her bony frame was engulfed in a very large sweater and sweatpants, no doubt hiding more injuries sustained from her so-called caretaker.  
"Tenshi-Chan!" Shifter exclaimed, hugging her friend.  
They hadn't seen each other in ages.  
"Shifter-San, you can't be here! I'll get in trouble!"  
"Don't worry, Tenshi-Chan. He won't be able to hurt you anymore."  
"Shifter-San..."  
"Who's there?" called a gruff, nasty voice.  
Tenshi shuddered and moved behind Shifter.  
Shifter went back to turning her hands and arms to lava.  
"You will never hurt my nakama again, bastard!" she yelled, blasting fountains of lava into the man's face.  
He suffered: His screams filled the room until he was nothing but a pile of ash.  
Tenshi stared at the remains, horrified and still hiding behind Shifter.  
"Shifter-San..."  
Shifter smiled at Tenshi, her hands reverting to normal, and ruffled her light lilac hair.  
"Everything's okay now, Tenshi-Chan," she told her.  
Tenshi hugged her tightly, tears of relief flowing down her cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

"You have a ship?" Tenshi asked as they headed down to the harbor.  
Shifter had bought some new clothes for Tenshi that allowed her to move more freely without all the fabric in the way as well as five swords(Shifter had gone and stolen a lot of the navy's money to compensate herself for her troubles).  
"Of course," she replied with a grin. "I didn't only take money from the navy."  
They stopped in front of a rather large boat, and Tenshi gasped.  
"This...this is..."  
"Yep!" Shifter finished for her. "It's the ship of a Commodore!"  
"It's huge!"  
"I took it out from under Commodore Nelson's nose while he was having it fixed up. That's how I know it has plenty of space!"  
"What do we need all the space for, Shifter-San?" Tenshi asked curiously as Shifter helped her onto the ship.  
"I'm gathering more of our nakama, Tenshi-Chan. We can't be pirates without a crew."  
"Ah!"  
Tenshi nodded.  
"One other thing, Shifter-San..."  
"Yeah?"  
"How am I supposed to use five swords? I can only hold and use three!"  
"Oh! Right!"  
Shifter pulled her satchel around so it was hanging off the front of her and pulled out an odd-looking fruit.  
"I stole a bunch of these from the navy and read up on which ones do what. This is the Tele-Tele No Mi."  
Tenshi took it and, completely trusting her nakama's judgement, began eating it. She made a face.  
"It tastes terrible."  
"It's worth it, though," Shifter told her with a nod. "If you eat the Tele-Tele No Mi, you will gain its tele-tele powers: Meaning you'll have the ability to use telekinesis."  
Tenshi smiled widely. "So I can hold more than just three swords?"  
Shifter nodded emphatically.  
"I don't really feel any different," Tenshi told Shifter doubtfully when she finished eating the fruit.  
"I didn't either," Shifter assured her. "But, hey, try to pick this up."  
The redhead held up an apple in front of Tenshi. Tenshi, skepticism evident in her facial expression, reached out.  
"No, Tenshi-Chan! With your mind!"  
Tenshi sheepishly put her arm back at her side and skeptically concentrated on the apple. The shiny red fruit lifted off into the air, and Tenshi gasped, bringing a hand over her mouth.  
The apple fell instantly at her lapse of concentration.  
"Looks like you'll need to train your abilities a little, Tenshi-Chan."  
"I think I've got it."  
The girl turned to her five swords, closing her eyes and lifting her hands. Three of them floated to her as she wished, their sheathes falling off as the handles landed in her hands and her mouth. The remaining two floated toward her in a similar fashion, taking up a defensive stance as she did: Pointing outward at any possible threat.  
Shifter smiled at her.  
"I knew you'd pick that up real fast."  
"Where are we going next, Capitan-Sama?"  
"Next, we're going to find Ichigo-San."


	3. Chapter 3

"Sanji-Kun!" a seventeen-year-old girl bleated as her thin wrist was grabbed.  
"Shut up, girl," the customer growled, slapping her across the face.  
Her name was Hime, and she had only just been taking the garbage out when a drunken customer from earlier that day jumped her(they had kicked him out before because he had gotten so drunk he could hardly see straight and thought Head Chef Zeff was a woman). Hime never asked for trouble: She even made sure her sweaters were always so big on her that they could pass off as dresses. Her blonde and teal hair had even grown to the point where she could hide in it if she needed to, which was what she was trying to do now.  
"I'm not gonna *hic* hurt ya," the smarmy man assured her.  
Hime whimpered helplessly.  
"We're just gon' *hic* have some fun."  
"Sanji-Kun!" she tried again, wrenching her arm away from the man. "Help!"  
Before this could escalate any further, the back door of the Baratie(the door nearest them)opened up and out came Sanji. The man froze: Everyone knew that, when the Sous Chef got involved, shit was about to go down. Hime's face visibly brightened.  
"Sanji-Kun!" she cried once more before running to hide behind him.  
Sanji's face visibly darkened toward the drunkard.  
"So, you think you can just pick on this sweet young lady on my watch, do you?" he growled.  
"I ain't pickin' on no one!" the man insisted hastily, crossing his arms in front of himself defensively.  
"I think you're lying to me. You'll pay for that offense."  
In a maximum of two seconds, the man was floating and bleeding in the ocean. Sanji lit himself a new cigarette and turned immediately to Hime.  
"Did he hurt you too badly, my dear?"  
Hime smiled at him slightly. "Not at all, thanks to you."  
She bowed to him in thanks. "Once again, I am in your debt, Sanji-Kun. I don't know how I could ever thank you for everything you do for me."  
"Seeing you safe and happy is thanks enough, Hime-Chwan!"  
Suddenly, Hime's attention was turned to the horizon. "Look, Sanji-Kun," she said, pointing to two ships.  
"Huh? What is it? More customers?"  
"It...it looks like they're fighting," Hime remarked.  
Sanji squinted. "Oh. I know that guy in the suit. He has a reservation for today."  
With that, he headed back into the restaurant. "I have to get his order prepared."  
Hime nodded and followed him back inside. She had some work to do herself.


	4. Chapter 4

"A pirate crew?"  
Ichigo was skeptical. The megane Skypeian girl was always skeptical.  
"Well, yeah!" Shifter laughed. "We're gonna be pirates!"  
"Why have you decided we need to be pirates?" Ichigo sighed.  
"Well, we've all been wronged by the marines. Do I need to remind you?" Shifter pointed out.  
It was true, Ichigo knew. When she was little, she'd found a way out of the Land of the Drifting Clouds(her family had been sentenced there for crimes she could not recall). She'd landed harshly in the blue sea and floated there unconscious for a while. When she came to, she had been on a marine ship. At first, she was certain she had been saved. However, that particular marine branch had captured her for the simple reason she was like nothing they'd ever seen before. They were certain she was an angel or something of the sort and could bless them or use some sort of supernatural powers to help them. Even when she couldn't do this, they kept her as a sort of good luck charm. Ichigo was only able to escape after three years of imprisonment - when she was eight years old.  
She pushed up her glasses.  
"Just because the marines have been jerks to us is no reason to become lawbreakers," she reprimanded.  
"Well, Ichigo-San, you do what you want. But, I want to be something, you know?"  
"What are you getting at, Shifter-San?"  
"Ichigo-San," Shifter said, a grin spreading across her face, "I'm going to be the Queen of the Pirates."  
Ichigo's eyes widened. "But, to do that - "  
"She knows she has to find the One Piece, Ichigo-San," Tenshi interrupted. "She's prepared for anything, and I'm prepared to follow her to the ends of the earth. Are you?"  
Ichigo remained silent a moment, Shifter grinning at her patiently.  
"Hai."  
Ichigo turned to Shifter again. "Lead the way, Madame."  
"Goody! Now, before we go anywhere else...I might have forgotten something rather important back at the naval base..."  
"What did you forget, Capitan-Sama?" Tenshi asked.  
"My son...I forgot my son..."  
"What?! Why did you even have your son with you at the naval base?!" Ichigo exclaimed.  
"Yeah, Shifter-San, didn't you say he was only a baby?"  
"Well, I couldn't leave him with his papa! A pirate's life has no room for a baby. Besides, the marines offered babysitting services."  
"A pirate?" Tenshi repeated, confused. "But...you were a marine...?"  
Shifter laughed slightly, her expression seeming to portray both regret and happiness.  
"Yeah...that man was the beginning of the end of my marine career."  
Shifter held up her left hand, a golden ring twinkling on her ring finger.  
"One of his crewmates married us. This is a stolen ring, no doubt."  
"Shifter-San, we can share memories later. Right now, we need to get that boy from the marines," Ichigo pointed out. "There's no telling what they could do to him!"  
"Right!" Shifter gasped. "I almost forgot again!"  
As she leapt back onto her stolen ship, her newly acquired crewmates shook their heads. This was going to be a very long journey with her leading the way.


	5. Chapter 5

Hime was very immediate in ducking for cover when she heard the explosion on the upper deck. All the chefs(minus Sanji)dropped what they were doing to go check up on their boss. Hime, on the other hand, didn't think it was such a good idea to go up where an explosion had just transpired.  
"Don't worry about it, Hime-Chwan," Sanji reassured her, seeing how she stared up the stairs with a worried expression. "Chef Zeff's too mean to die from a stupid canon ball."  
"It was just a canon ball?" Hime asked.  
Sanji nodded. "I know a canon ball when I hear it. Even so, you should stay down here, Hime-Chwan. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."  
Hime nodded. That wasn't something she wanted to argue.  
The blonde sous chef smiled at her as he picked up a wine bottle, covering the label with a linen cloth.  
"I'll be right back. I have to go serve that guy."  
"Mr. Fullbody-San, right? Didn't he order a different wine?"  
"Who cares? They practically taste the same. Besides, we don't have a whole lot of that left."  
As Sanji left the kitchen, Hime heard a small commotion outside. She peeked out the door to see a dark-haired boy in a straw hat rushing for the stairs. She furrowed her brow. Did he attack the Baratie?


	6. Chapter 6

Shifter was pretty beat up by the time she came out of the marine base. It was strange, considering she should have been able to make it in and out without any problems. However, knowing Shifter, she probably picked a fight with someone before it was all over.  
She blinked in confusion, for Ichigo was nowhere to be found. In addition to that, there seemed to be another Shifter on board...in Ichigo's clothing?  
"Tenshi-Chan, what's going on?" Shifter asked as she carefully climbed aboard.  
The Shifter disappeared, replaced with Ichigo once more.  
"Oh, Shifter-San, I forgot to tell you something," Ichigo told her sheepishly. "Did I ever tell you who saved me from the marines when I was eight?"  
Shifter nodded. "An okama ballerina, right?"  
Ichigo nodded. "He decided we were friends, and I sailed with him for a while. On one of his adventures, he landed on a strange island and found a devil fruit. We were low on food and didn't know what excactly it was, and he decided he would half it with me. It turns out it gave us clone-clone powers. Now, whenever I touch someone's face, I can turn into them."  
Shifter raised an eyebrow. "When did you touch my face, Ichigo-San?"  
"A long time ago, Shifter-San. I don't really remember."  
"Well, I guess that makes sense."  
Suddenly, someone's stomach growled.  
Everyone turned to look at Tenshi, who blushed.  
"Shifter-Sama...could we get something to eat before we leave on our big adventure?"  
Shifter gasped.  
"OH NO!"  
"What?! What is it this time?" Ichigo demanded harshly.  
"I forgot to pack food for the trip!" Shifter exclaimed as she opened the sails.  
"WHAAA?" Ichigo yelled. "YOU COULD HAVE TOLD US SOONER!"  
"That doesn't matter now! I know this great place we can get some food!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Um...Sanji-Kun?" Hime asked Sanji as he came back into the kitchen(he seemed really mad).  
He seemed to brighten more at the sound of her voice, smiling down at her.  
"Yes, Hime-Chwan? What can I help you with?"  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yeah. I'm fine. I just...have a bad feeling about that marine guy out there."  
"Well...there are even more people coming."  
Sanji glanced out the window to see a humongous ship approaching.  
"Geez...more marines?" he grumbled.  
"I can help you serve them if you want me to."  
"No, Hime-Chwan. I couldn't make you do that~! Just sit back here and relax."  
Hime pouted.  
"At least let me cook, Sanji-Kun. Chef Zeff didn't just put me in here for no reason!"  
"Alright, if you really want to..."

"I've never been here before," Tenshi admitted as she scanned the big words reading "Baratie" spanning across the top of the seafaring restaurant.  
"I used to come here all the time when I was a marine," Shifter replied as she tethered the galleon. "Be careful, though. The sous chef is a huge flirt, though we shouldn't have to worry about seeing him too much. Besides, if we do see him, I can convince him to give us all free meals. So, it's a win-win."  
Ichigo rolled her eyes and sighed. "He'd better not flirt with me."  
Ichigo and Tenshi climbed down after Shifter[who was toting her baby into the restaurant].  
"I'm sure they'll like me even more now that I'm a pirate."  
"Why do you say that?" Tenshi asked, puzzled.  
"Oh, you'll see. This place is crazy!"


	8. Chapter 8

Zoro leaned against the side of the Merry, staring at the Baratie a good time after his captain had disappeared into it.  
"So...do you think he's coming back?"  
Nami shrugged.  
"Why don't we go in and enjoy ourselves while he's taking care of business?" Usopp suggested.  
Zoro shrugged. "Sure. I don't see any harm in it," he decided with a mischievous grin before leaping over the side of the ship with the other two in tow.

"Like it?" Shifter asked with a grin as she watched Tenshi gaze in amazement around the room.  
"Y-yeah..." Tenshi replied, blushing. "I've never been to a sea restaurant before."  
Shifter sat down.  
"Well, there's a first time for everything," Shifter pointed out as she saw a tall blonde man approach. She furrowed her brow. "That's odd. The sous chef shouldn't be serving us."  
Tenshi looked down in the hopes he wouldn't notice her.  
"Good afternoon," the man greeted. "What can I get you lovely ladies today?"  
"First, I want to ask who convinced you to come serve us instead of sending in a waiter," Shifter replied.  
"Oh, all the waiters quit yesterday," he explained simply.  
Ichigo raised her eyebrow.  
"You aren't with your usual company, Miss Shifter," the sous chef remarked.  
"Ah, well...the marines fired me," Shifter laughed. "I'm a pirate now."  
He grinned.  
"Right, right, orders," Shifter remembered, snapping her fingers. "Surprise us. I'm sure anything you cook will taste amazing."  
He grinned wider.  
"Of course, Shifter-Swan! I'll go make something up for you and your stunningly beautiful friends right away!"  
Tenshi blushed and Ichigo rolled her eyes as the man practically floated back to the kitchen.  
"That was Sanji, the sous chef," Shifter explained. "I wonder why all the waiters quit..."

Hime smiled as Sanji came in. "Here: I finished up the soup for Fullbody and his date."  
"That's great, Hime-Chwan," Sanji praised as he took the bowls. "Now, do you mind making up three more meals? Nothing too extravagent, they just walked in the door and I'm sure they don't want to wait for three days."  
"Of course, Sanji-Kun," Hime replied. "You can count on me."  
"I know I can, my sweet~!"

It didn't seem to take very long for things to start getting interesting.  
Shifter, Ichigo, and Tenshi had all gotten their meals[club sandwiches, and they couldn't have been happier with the chef's decision]when the redheaded captain saw someone new stride through the door. The hair on the back of her neck raised and she held her baby tighter to her.  
"What's wrong, Capitan-Sama?" Tenshi asked her, looking in the same direction.  
"I know that man," Shifter replied quietly. "That's a commander in one of Don Krieg's fleets: Ghin."  
Ichigo raised her eyebrows.  
"Ghin? Are you sure?" she asked skeptically.  
Shifter nodded. "Oh yeah: That's him, alright. I should know. I helped capture him."  
Tenshi shuddered. "Do you think he's here to kill us?"  
"I don't know..." Shifter frowned. "He seems pretty weak. I don't know what that particular branch did when I handed him over, but I don't guess it was something nice."  
"Maybe we should leave," Tenshi suggested timidly.  
"No..." Shifter stated. "They're kicking him out."  
And that they were. As soon as one of the other chefs asked him if he had any money and he had said no, he was laying on the floor and in even worse shape than he had been when he walked in. They had nothing to worry about, they thought, so they went right ahead back to eating.  
It was quite the entertaining afternoon. There was another pirate crew in there causing a commotion. Oddly, Shifter didn't recognise any of them at all.  
Finally, Tenshi brought them to Shifter's attention formally.  
"Capitan-Sama? Who are those guys?"  
Shifter turned to her swordswoman and shrugged.  
"I'm not sure," she told her with a frown. "They seem like pirates, but I haven't seen them in all my years of hunting pirates."  
"They look too friendly to be pirates," Ichigo remarked.  
"Well, I've seen some friendly pirates in my day," Shifter pointed out with a rather nostalgic smile.  
Tenshi grinned. "They seem really happy."  
"Maybe they just started out on their journey," Shifter said with a shrug. "Should we ask?"  
"Oh, I'm not going over there," Tenshi said quickly.  
Ichigo rolled her eyes and stood. "I guess I will, then."  
Shifter gave her a questioning look as though she was only joking earlier.  
"We might as well try to make as many friends as we can if we're headed for the Grand Line, wouldn't you say, Capitan-Sama?" Ichigo explained.  
"That's definitely true, Ichigo-San," Shifter agreed, standing. "I propose we all head over there! That includes you, Tenshi-Chan. You don't have to say anything if not prompted, but I would like you to be included in our diplomatic relations."  
Tenshi stood with them reluctantly. "Alright," she said, "but I probably won't help any...except I can hold your baby for you."  
Shifter grinned and gently handed the infant over to her friend.  
"Merci, Tenshi-Chan."  
Tenshi nodded, and they made their way over to the table where the other pirates sat laughing and having a good time.  
"Bonjour, friends," Shifter greeted charismatically, slamming her hands down on the table and leaning her weight on them to get the other pirates' attention.  
They all looked up, seeming confused by this interruption.  
"Je m'appelle Capitan Shifter."  
The boy in the straw hat narrowed his eyes, and a man with a long nose whispered something in his ear. A sudden look of understanding rose up on the boy's face, and he grinned.  
"Well, why didn't you say so! My name's Luffy, and I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"  
"The only thing you're going to be is Chore Boy for the rest of your life if you don't get some work done!" a new arrival - a tall blonde man in a rather nice suit - interjected grumpily as he dragged Luffy back to the kitchen.  
Shifter blinked in confusion.  
"Was that your Capitan?"  
The redheaded girl sighed heavily, but the green-haired man nodded.  
"Yep. That's Luffy-San, alright."  
"Well, what about the rest of you? What are your names?"  
"I am..." the long nose man said, standing and propping a foot up on the table, "Capitan Usopp!"  
The blonde man was back, and he grabbed Usopp by the nose and slammed him down on the ground.  
"Keep your grimy feet off my tables."  
Usopp groaned in pain, but no one paid him any mind as the next person introduced herself.  
"I'm Nami," the redhead spoke up, though she didn't seem entirely pleased to be there.  
Her mind seemed to be somewhere else, that much Shifter could tell.  
"Zolo," the green-haired man said unceremoniously, returning to his food as if he, too, did not want to be there.  
"What about the rest of you?" Nami asked.  
"Je m'appelle Ichigo," Ichigo introduced herself.  
Tenshi shuffled uncomfortably.  
"I'm...Tenshi..."  
"It's nice to meet you all. What brings you over to talk to us?" Nami asked.  
Shifter smiled.  
"Oh, nothing special. I'm just starting out on this pirate cruise thing, and I figured it would be a good start to make some allies," she said.  
"That's true," Nami agreed. "We're just starting out, too. Maybe we can sail together."  
Something seemed insincere about Nami's suggestion. Shifter could still see there was something wrong with her, but she didn't pry. No one else seemed to notice.  
"That would be tres bon~," Shifter encouraged her.  
"I'll take it up with the capitan."


End file.
